We are not big princess people at our house, although we do have a soft spot for Belle and Jasmine. But when we had the opportunity to go see Cinderella at Broadway Rose Theatre, we knew it would be good.
Each summer, Broadway Rose does a youth drama camp in which kids act as the ensemble for professional adult actors in a full-scale production of a musical geared toward youth. They often keep the core storyline, but put their own unique mark on a classic tale. This year’s Cinderella was no exception.
Cinderella featured an amazing cast and adorable campers. The story is narrated by a talented troubadour who also acts as the prince’s assistant. The prince himself is about to turn 21 and it’s time for him to select his bride. However, knowing all of the ladies in the kingdom, he dreads the task. Cinderella’s step-sisters, aptly named Repulsia and Obnoxia, provide a significant amount of humor. One of our favorite moments came when the prince and the troubadour sang “Don’t fit! Don’t fit! Don’t fit!” as the step-sisters tried on the infamous glass slipper. The Fairy Godmother had some memory issues, but she got the job done while providing subtle and not-so-subtle references to kid favorites such as Wizard of Oz, Aladdin, and others. Cinderella remained the most similar to her Disney counterpart, but had a bit more backbone.
Cinderella is the perfect introduction to theater for young kids. The audience was filled with beautiful little princesses in costume, and it is understood that they will not be perfectly quiet. One of the things that made this show unique was the level of audience interaction. Audience members were encouraged to interact with the cast at various points. My daughter rarely buys into that, but even she was shouting out answers. In another scene, the whole cast was moving through aisles and rows, stepping over audience members during their chase for each other. In the midst of the chaos that ensued, my six-year-old son looked at me and said “this is fascinating!” Perhaps the most adorable moments came when children from the audience were invited onto the stage to dance with the cast and shake their “bustles” during the ball.
After the show, audience members can meet the cast and get their programs signed. The poor prince got a ferocious stink eye when he called my daughter a princess, but the entire cast was very kind to the kids and most of the kids seemed excited about meeting them.
We have seen several of the summer youth productions and this was definitely our favorite. The music was fun, there was plenty of humor, and the pace — as well as the 60-minute runtime — was perfect for kids. If you are looking for one more fun activity to squeeze in before it’s time to head back to school, we would definitely recommend grabbing tickets to this show!
Cinderella runs at Broadway Rose Theatre August 28-31. More information and tickets here. Tickets often sell out, so if you are thinking of going, purchase yours soon.
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